Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades
by Meisako
Summary: CHAPTER 11 UP (the never-ending cycle of confusion) The students of Hogwarts decide that SOMETHING must be done about You-Know-Who and decide to take it into their own hands.
1. Mr. Potter's Great Vanishing Act

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **ONE**_: Mr. Potter's Great Vanishing Act  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
Harry Potter layed in the bed, wide awake and fully aware of everything that was going on around him. _Nothing_. He stared at the ceiling, the white ceiling with a crack in the plaster. Harry often thought the crack looked like a profile of a face. But who's face? Everyday he stared at it, trying to decide who's profile it was. Yesterday it looked like Hermione. Today, it was Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Harry didn't need to move his head to know what the rest of the room looked like. White; bare except for the metal bed on which he layed, a door with a slot hole, and a light bulb in a plastic fixture in the center of the ceiling. It drove Harry mad- they never turned that light off. There were no windows- even if there were, they would only show the bricked walls of the building beside him. Down town Dublin was far too crowded for Harry's liking.  
  
Hae stared again at the crack, fixxing his eyes intently on it. Harry could feel sleep taking over.  
  
"Don't go to sleep, Harry." He thought to himself. "You know what happens when you are sleep."   
  
Harry could only think this, never speak. Harry had refused to speak since he first arrived. They would only think him madder if he talked to himself, yet they already thought him off his nut for never saying a word. Some of them had just said he had been traumatized as a youth. They had no idea, but this wasn't his reason for not speaking to anyone. This was completely fine with Harry, just as long as he didn't have to talk to them.  
  
Harry heard some one fiddle with keys on the opposite side of the door. A slot in the door opened and he heard something being dropped on the floor. The slot closed and they locked it again. Harry knew it was his breakfast- or was it his dinner? He had lost all track of the time and the dates.   
  
Harry went to get the food but found he couldn't move.  
  
He sighed, thinking profane thoughts of the stupid men who forgot to take the bed restraints off of him. He lay still, staring again at the crack.  
  
His eyes feeling heavy, Harry bit his tongue violently to keep himself awake. He didn't want to sleep, to dream. The dreams were filled with faces. Voices. Images. Memories. Each too harsh to recall.  
  
No one knew where he was, except the Dursleys, and no one would ever find him. How long had he been there? A year? Two years? By now, everyone must have forgotten the boy-who-lived. He was now the boy-who-vanished. Did anyone bother to look for him? Surely Sirius must have...  
  
Sirius...  
  
Harry's eyes teared up, but not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. Poor Sirius, all alone. Worried. Harry hated to worry his godfather, but he couldn't help it. His family, then Dursleys, had become afraid of Harry and feared for their lives. It was only reasonable. Last year (or was it two years ago?) they were attacked because Harry lived with them.  
  
When Harry got back from school after his fifth year he found a white van and a truck in the driveway of number four Privet Drive where he livedwith his aunt, uncle, and repulsive cousin. Men were loading peices of furniture onto the truck. The Dursleys were moving.  
  
Harry's things -all of them- were taken from him and two men from the white van grabbed him.  
  
"It's for the best, Harry." Uncle Vernon had said.  
  
"Perhaps we'll visit..."  
  
But Aunt Petunia had lied. They never visited. Not once. They had succeeded in ridding their lives of Harry.   
  
How the Dursleys managed to convince _anyone_ that Harry was crazy was beyond him. Thinking about it, Harry decided it wasn't all that impossible. It was most likely the broom, owl, cloak, and spell books that had the men from the white truck believing he was off his rocker. Now Harry was in the nut house- left alone to ponder his life.  
  
Harry laughed. It was the first sound to come from his mouth since he had arrived. Harry James Potter, the boy who survived the most powerful and evil wizard of the century on several occasions could not free himself of his bed-restraints. Maybe Harry was crazy after all.  
  
There was a sound of keys on the other side of the door. Harry kept laughing. A hand reached in the food slot and pulled the tray back in.  
  
"Not hungry, Mr. Potter? That's the fourth meal you've skipped this week!" The male voice sounded off rhythm, perhaps it was Harry's laughing that so unnerved the guard. Harry had never made a sound before.  
  
Harry didn't reply. He merely laughed.  
  
The boy-who-lived was in the insane assylum. The man took the food and left... leaving Harry alone- _again_.   
  


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**  
  
I figured I'd go with unique. I mean, how many stories out there have you read where Harry is insane!? Not many, I'll warrant you that! If you find an error in my story, please tell me and I'll go back and fix it A.S.A.P.!   
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	2. The Great Escape

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **TWO**_: The Great Escape  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
Harry layed for what felt like three hours- Thinking about Ron. Ron was probably in his last year of school. Had he been made a Perfect? Head Boy? Was school going well for him?  
  
Did Ron... _have a new best friend_? Harry knew it was unavoidable, but he had always hoped that Ron wouldn't give up on him, but apparently everyone had.  
  
A knock on the door jolted Harry from his thought. No one knocked on his door. They always just came in. A key scraped against the lock and his door opened. An unfamiliar voice spoke.  
  
"Time for your restroom break."  
  
Harry wanted to see the speaker- it was a sweet voice, gentle and kind. A girl with short blonde hair appeared over him and frowned.  
  
"How long have you been strapped up like this?" She unbuckled the restraint on his forehead. "Poor boy..." She looked around and went back to close the door. Harry lifted his head now that the restraint was gone and watched her. She was wearing a white nurse suit and a small hat with a red cross upon the front.  
  
"Listen to me Harry. My name is Naera- I've come to get you." Harry merely stared at her as she undid the rest of the straps. She paused. "Can't you speak, Harry?" Her voice dripping with worry.  
  
"I can talk..." Harry slowly sat up and Naera took the last straps off his ankles.  
  
"Alright, but can you walk?" Naera helped him to his feet, where he stood on his own while his rescuer fished something out of her bag, which Harry hadn't noticed until just then.  
  
"Put these on... Don't look at me like that, just put them on." She handed him a dress shirt and slacks, along with a long white lab coat.  
  
Harry frowned. "I can't change my clothes with you watching."  
  
Naera rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll stand guard- Hurry." She opened the door and stepped out. Within seven minutes, Harrys was fully dressed. He could hear Naera on the other side of the door, speaking with a male voice. They seemed to be chatting. Footsteps walked away and Naera returned.   
  
"Put these on, too."  
  
She handed him a pair of black shoes from her bag and he placed them on his bare feet. She smiled. "You look very much like a real doctor. C'mon, let's go." Naera grabbed her bag off the floor and Harry's forearm before opening the door.  
  
"Wait!" Harry protested. "They'll know I'm not a doctor! They've all seen me before!"  
  
Naera blinked at him, then smiled. "Oops. Here." She pulled off a necklace from around her own neck and handed it to him. Her face instantly became tanner, her hair a raven colour of black (now mid back length), and her eyes became smaller.   
  
"Take it."  
  
Cautiously, Harry put around his neck. He didn't feel at all different. "What does it do, really?"  
  
"Random face generator. Favourite friend of theives and _escaped criminals_." Harry felt his stomach drop. Naera looked him straight in the eye as she said these last words. She wasn't talking about Sirius, was she?  
  
Together they walked outside the room and down the dimly lit corridor. A receptionist at the front table smiled at them as they passed and entered the lift. The doors closed and the lift lowered steadily. They were alone.  
  
"Oh Harry! I'm so glad I found you!" Naera's eyes were teary. "We've been looking for you for ages!"  
  
"How long have I been gone?" Harry was admiring his new image in the glass walls of the lift.  
  
"Just over five months... You went missing right after school let out. Arthur Weasley notified Fudge after you didn't reply to his boy's owls. We recieved nearly sixty owls saying you weren't answering. Arthur visited your house and found it empty. Everything one-hundred percent gone. You left no notice, no message, nothing. You just disappeared!" Naera dabbed her nose with a handkerchief. "Oh Harry! We feared the worse... considering last years events..." Naera's voice trailed off.  
  
"Only five months..." Harry repeated slowly. "It felt like years!"  
  
Naera shook her head. "Those awful Muggles. They were depriving your brain of everything."  
  
"Like Azkaban."  
  
Naera's small eyes widened. "Have _you_ ever been to Azkaban, Harry?"  
  
"No, but I've encountered more than my fair share of dementors." Harry fumbled the necklace Naera had loned him. Where did she get this?  
  
"Naera? Who are you?"  
  
She looked at him oddly. "I'm Naera..."  
  
"No, not your name. Why did you come for me? Who sent you?" Harry was struggling between being irritated and being amused.  
  
"Oh! I work for the Japanese Ministry. Ambassador to British wizards. Ueda-san, Fudge, and a load of other Magical Ministers had a meeting and decided to get all of the wizard looking for you." She fished a news clipping from her bag.  
  
It was from the _Daily Prophet_ and on the from cover was a picture that cause Harry to laugh. It was of Harry and Gilderoy Lockhart, taken when Harry was twelve. He was quite pleased to see that his photographic self was struggling to stay out of the picture. The title read, _Boy-Who-Lived Still Missing_.  
  
"You've been front page news since you went missing." The lift stopped and the door opened. "This is our floor, doctor." Naera stepped out and lead Harry to a broom closet. "In here..." Once inside she shut the door and took something out from behind a shelf. A Cleansweep Five racing broom. "You can fly, can't you?"  
  
"Yes." said Harry.  
  
"Oh, of course. Seeker, isn't it? That's good, because I can't fly worth Bertie Botts." She smiled and pulled something else out of her bag. Something silvery.  
  
"Is that..." Oh how Harry missed his-  
  
"Invisibility cloak. Minister Ueda-san lent it to me when I told him I had a suspision where you might be." Naera smiled. "Hand me that coat and take this-" Harry readily handed her his disguise and threw the cloak over him self. She, the broom, and her bag soon joined him benethe it.  
  
"Now what?" The excitement that Harry might actually be leaving this nut house behind was causing the adrenilin to rush through his veins. Even more exhilerating was the thought of sneaking around in an invisibility cloak and flying high in the air.   
  
"We'll sneak out the back and then mount the broom. Got it?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
In minutes they were high above the crowded streets of Dublin, capital city of Ireland, making their way back to England.   
  


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I know, kinda sucked, but at least it's a chapter!  
  
Kel: There ya go! He's busted out!  
  
Tarawen: Glad to hear you like it! Like the chapter said, Harry's been there five months. Kinda lose track of time when you've been all alone... **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	3. Floo Powder and Flat Treacle Tarts

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **THREE**_: Floo Powder and Flat Treacle Tarts  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
When they were far away from any city, Harry landed. His posterior was sore from sitting for so long. Naera, too, was thankful for the touch down. She walked around a bit before going to her bag and pulling out a directory.  
  
"Let's see... Yes! There's a wizarding family around here somewhere. Surely they'll have floo powder."  
  
Harry had long ago forgotten many wizarding conveniences; floo powder, charms, owls, spells- Harry froze.  
  
"Naera? Where's my stuff?"  
  
She shrugged. "They had nothing under your name at the hospital and we found nothing at your home. I'm sorry, dear."  
  
Harry's heart sank. "My wand and books and robes and Firebolt... _Hedwig_." Harry muttered to himself sadly. "My photo album and my invisibility cloak! Surely some one must know where _those_ are? They are the only things I have left to remember my parents! I can't... No..." Harry sat on a rock and hid his face with his hands. "Curse the Dursleys to Hell!" He slapped his knee in a fit of anger. Naera looked truely sorry.  
  
"Tell you what. As soon as we get to the Ministry, I'll have some one sent out to look for them. I'm sure I heard that some one had spotted your owl, however, in Aberdeen. They sent loads of people that direction to look for you, hoping that the two of you were together, but that was nearly two months ago..." Her voice trailed as she turned back to the directory. "Ah ha! Just half a mile in _that_ direction." She pointed enthusiastically to her left. "McHugh... c'mon then, Harry!" Naera picked up her bag and shouldered it. "We'll walk, if that's alright. I don't think my bottom could handle even five more minutes on that broomstick."  
  
Together they walked, exchanging news. Actually, Harry did the majority of the listening, rather than exchanging.  
  
"-and the worst of all, I think they'll let him off!" She exclaimed exasperately. They had been talking about Sirius Black for the past fifteen minutes. His trial to clear his name was looking good, to Harry that is.  
  
"That's great!"  
  
Naera looked at him oddly. "Great? Then you believe he didn't kill all of those people? There were all of those witnesses!"  
  
"There were also alot of witnesses, last time Voldemort," Naera flinched, "attacked, who saw Peter Pettigrew _personally_. Cornelius Fudge, even! I'm suprised the trail has taken this long!" Harry argued.  
  
Naera looked deep in thought. "I suppose those accounts she amount to something, but without Pettigrew physically in the Ministry's hands, it's going to be hard to convince the public of his innocence. Not everyone was there to see it for themselves, you know."  
  
At the crest of the next hill stood a homely looking cottage covered in moss. Around it was a crooked white picket fence and a garden, obviously full of magical plants. All together, besides the six chimneys protruding from the roof, it looked like a house from a fairytale.  
  
"McHugh." Naera read off of the mail box, which looked at though it had never been used. She smiled and opened the gate which, on a cobble stoned path, led up to the front door. "Come on, Harry." Naera knocked lightly on the weathered door. It opened almost instantly and a wave of warm, perfumed air hit Harry strongly.  
  
"Can I assist you?" An elderly woman in a grey shall stood in the threshhold. She eyed Naera and Harry suspiciously.  
  
"Please, ma'am, are you Elise McHugh?"  
  
"I am. And you are?"  
  
"My name is Naera Vale and I'm the Japanese Ambassador to English Wizards, I've been sent from the Ministry." She flashed a gold badge in the woman's face. "I was wo-"  
  
"Your name isn't too Japanese, now is it?" Elise leaned against the doorway amicably.  
  
Naera was slightly put off. "Huh? Oh, well, my father was English and my mother Japanese. Dad named me, but that's not the point here." Naera frowned. "I was wondering if you had any floo powder we might use. We're in a hurry."  
  
Elise smiled and moved to let them in. "Of course, anything to help the Ministry!" Once inside, she called for her husband. "Erin, go and get the floo powder, if you will."  
  
Naera spoke breifly with Elise as Harry stared about the room. It was very comforting to see that all of the pictures were moving about. He at last felt like he was truely going home. His hands absentmindedly fumbled with the necklace Naera had let him borrow. He had forgotten to take it off. Harry pulled the chain over his head and continued to look about.  
  
Erin, a man who was just as old as Elise, entered with a silver, antique looking box. "Here you are, floo powder-" He looked at Harry. "Bless my heart, Harry Potter!" Elise jumped and turned about wildly.  
  
"Great Heavens! It is Harry Potter! Dear, dear! We've thought the worse..." She placed an uneasy hand over her heart. "Would you look at him?" Elise said to Erin. "He looks half starved. Go and get those fresh treacle tarts. That'll help him a bit."  
  
"Oh, that's alright, really. I'll just eat when I get to the Ministry. You don't have to..." Harry felt his face heat.  
  
"Nonesense! Of course we don't _have_ to, but what kind of witch would I be if didn't?" Elise took the box Erin had handed her and shoved it into Harry's hands. "Fresh from the oven." Naera smiled at the elderly couple.  
  
"Thank you," She bowed, "for all of you help. Now, we must really be heading to the Ministry."  
  
"Sure, sure- here." Erin offered the box to her and she accepted it with a bow.   
  
Harry did likewise and turned to thne fireplace, where he noticed a particular figure in a picture on the mantel waving at him.  
  
"That's Seamus!"  
  
Erin beamed. "Aye! He's my grandson. My daughter Heather's son. Spanking good Keeper and I heard they made him Captain!" He smiled at Harry. "Tell him 'hey' for us, won't you? We don't see him much, anymore."  
  
"Of course, sir." Harry took a pinch of floo powder and followed Naera into the fireplace.  
  
"Ministry of Magic, England!"  
  
Harry held tight to his box of tarts and closed his eyes. After a while, the set of fireplaces he was traveling through changed into a tube. Harry dared to open his eyes and saw only blue. He was traveling under water. Soot reappeared and Harry quickly snapped his eyes closed again.  
  
His feet met hard with cement floor and his ears with loud voices. Harry opened his eyes to see a large pair of eyes looking back. He screamed and several people laughed. It took him a moment to realize the eyes weren't large, just _very_ close.  
  
"Harry!" Fudge began to beat the soot off of him. "Welcome back, are you alright?"  
  
"Wait until I owl Molly!"  
  
"What happened, Harry?"  
  
"Can you walk?"  
  
"You've flattened his tarts, Minister-"  
  
"We've been worried sick!"  
  
"LET HIM BREATHE!" Naera pulled on Harry's sleeve and tugged him away from the waiting crowd. "_Please_, Harry's been through enough without you badgering him!" Naera scowled.  
  
Cornelius Fudge frowned back, but at long last, he nodded. "Luke, contact Dumbledore, and Percy, find a place for Harry to sleep tonight." Percy Weasley and Luke Privado nodded and quickly left the room. "Everyone else, back to work!"  
  
The room slowly emptied, except for Fudge, Harry, Naera, and Arthur Weasley.  
  
"Harry- I don't know what to say... I- We're glad to have you back." Mr. Weasley ran his hand through Harry's extremly messy and extremely long hair.   
  
"Order of Merlin, second class, Vale!" Fudge declared.  
  
"Thank you sir," Naera bowed. "But completely unneccessary. I must decline the offer."  
  
"I insist!"  
  
"Really, no- Minister. Now, if you please, I must contact my superiors. they are awaiting my owl." Naera bowed herself out of the room before Fudge could think of another reward.  
  
Mr. Weasley smiled at Harry, teary like. "I'm going to owl Molly."  
  
"Just make sure you don't let you kids find out about this until we know what we are going to do, exactly." He turned to Harry. "Come along."  
  
Harry said good bye to Mr. Weasley and followed Fudge, clad in his usualy puprple pinestriped robes, down a corridor.  
  
"Can I owl my godfather?"  
  
Fudge started. "Black?"  
  
"Yes. Can I owl him? Tell him I'm alright?"  
  
"No, I think you'd better wait until tomorrow. Things will be sorted out by then." Fudge halted and knocked on a door.  
  
Percy opened it, looked at Harry, and said, "Fifth chamber, second corridor, fourth door on your right."  
  
"Thank you, Percy." Fudge placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and steered him into the fourth door on the right and into another corridor. "He should really just say, guest room number five. Make things alot easier- Hare we are, Harry!"  
  
Harry was greeted by a giant room with a fireplace and feather four-poster. There were three doors leading out of the room and Harry decided he'd find out where they each went later.  
  
"I'll have Luke bring you some fresh robes a little later on. Get some rest, Harry, it'll be getting dark soon."  
  
"Alright, good night, Minister." The door shut and Harry sighed deeply. For the first time in what felt like years, he was sane. Harry sat on the bed and ate the treacle tarts. Although extremely flattened by Fudge's roughness earlier, they were still very soft and warm. No sooner than he had licked his fingers, than he fell into a deep and dreamful sleep.   
  


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TatraMegami: Yeah, it is kinda funny. I was kinda wondering myself how he could blow up Aunt marge without a wand, but not break his restraints... The only thing I could come up with (being the author and all) was that the nut house had driven him too crazy to remember how to do that... I dunno! :)  
  
Lady of Arundel: Thanks! Right now, I'm not even sure how it will unfold. 'It is a puzzlement'.  
  
Tarawen: Yes. Darn Dursleys. But the good thing is I will never have to write about them again! So long 'Dinky-Diddy-Duddy-Dums'!  
  
TatraMaegami: It wasn't really that fast- you just reviewed right before I updated.  
  
Ice Fox: Thanks, and I will try to post more soon! **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	4. The Other Side of the Mirror

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **FOUR**_: The Other Side of the Mirror  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
Like so many times before, Harry woke the next morning to voices outside his bedroom door. But these voices were soft and cheerful, as though greeting a friend in the corridor. These voices were nothing like the ones he was used to. The voice of Aunt Petunia screaming at him to get out of bed or the inconsiderate mindless chit-chat of the hospital night guards. Those times were gone. Harry would never have to face either again.  
  
Sitting up, Harry found that the chair next to his bed had been buried beneath a pile of assorted coloured robes. He picked out a dark green one and thought of changing when he decided that a long needed bath would be nice. Figuring that one of the three doors along the far wall would lead to a bathroom, he opened them all.  
  
The first door led to a balcony overseeing a large garden full of brightly coloured flowers and small magical plants. Harry stepped onto the patio and breathed deep. There was a scent about the air. A familiar scent. Like a deja vu. Harry couldn't put his finger on what it was, however comforting it was, and decided to come back to it later, after his bath.  
  
Harry opened the second door , which coinsidently had a golden 'two' painted on it, and found the bathroom, marbled floored and sparkling in all its splendor. He stepped in and looked around. The tub was the size of a small jacuuzi, laden with six golden knobs, and the sink shone bright with vivid cleanliness. After taking notice of the stack of freshly washed towles on a stool beside the tub, Harry's curiosity over took him and he decided to check the third door.  
  
Harry turned to leave the bathroom the way he had entered, but found no door. Instead, he stood before a large mirror.  
  
"What on earth?" Harry felt around the mirror, but it was seemingly solid. He had come from this direction, _hadn't he?_  
  
Harry spun around and notice a door by the linen closet, but he was positive he hadn't entered that way. He left the bathroom and suprised himself by exiting the third door.  
  
"Wait a minute... What just happened here?" said Harry to himself in a perplexed sort of way. "Wasn't I just...." Harry strode over to the second door again and threw it open. This time he didn't see the bathroom, he saw a bedroom and a man at the other end looking into a closet. Confused, Harry stood for a moment. What was with this door?  
  
Then it hit him.  
  
_He_ was the man he was watching in the other room. Harry turned and only saw a large mirror. _He was watching himself through the mirror_. Harry stepped through the door, which snapped close behind him, and he found himself instantly at the other side of the room. He had stepped through the mirror.  
  
"_Cool_." Deciding he'd try the second door out some more later, Harry returned to the third door and stripped down for his bath.  
  
The warm water soon overtook Harry and he drifted into a euphoria, forgetting everything that was the world. A thought struck Harry. Last time he had been this relaxed and allowed to spend as much time in a bathtub as he desired, Moaning Myrtle, the ghost of the girls' bathroom on the second floor of Hogwarts, has been spying on him. Harry sat up and looked around wildly. No Myrtle. Harry was slightly saddened by this and sank back into the water. It would be good to see a familiar face again. Anyone's face. Even Myrtle's.  
  
Fully dressed and well rested, Harry concluded to try the second door again. His stomach growled violently as he tried the doorknob. He opened it and saw forty or so eccentric house elves merrily busying themselves about a large kitchen.  
  
"_This door..._" thought Harry, "_must lead to whatever room I'm thinking of when I thouch the door knob. Merlin, how I love these wizarding things!_" He was dying for something to eat.  
  
A female elf with yellow eyes hurried past with a tray of cantelopue, not even looking up at Harry. He figured she couldn't see him on the other side of the mirror. Stepping through caused much comotion. There was a sudden ringing of voices and clattered of dishes, followed by a breif silence.  
  
"Tispy, that is not Harry Potter?" a small voice whispered.  
  
"Tispy thinks it is, Cotty! Tipsy thinks it is!" replied Tispy's shrill voice in an undertone.  
  
"Senny thinks it is, too!"  
  
Soon a chorus of sing-song voices rang violently in Harry's ears as they began to cheer and crowd around him lovingly.  
  
"House elves is to be working, they is!"  
  
The elves looked at a grumpy faced elf reverently. "Yes, Dilly." They sang before heading back to work. Harry looked to the elf, Dilly, with astonishment. The letter 'M' scribbled on his tea-towel shirt obviously stood for 'manager'.  
  
"Is there something Dilly can be getting for Harry Potter, sir?" His face eased up greatly and he bowed low to the ground.  
  
"Yes- Thank you, Dilly. I was hoping for something for breakfast, it's not too late, is it?" Harry glanced at his watch. It was nearly noon.  
  
"Yes, yes, Harry Potter, sir!" Dilly smiled and his large eyes gleamed. "What is Harry Potter wanting, sir?"  
  
"Just a bit of toast and some fruit- would that be alright?" Harry smiled as allsorts of fruit were pressed beneath his nose for him to pick from.  
  
"Would Harry Potter like butter for his toast, sir?"  
  
"Would Harry Potter like some jam for his toast?"  
  
"Some cinnamon and sugar?"  
  
"Peanut butter, sir?"  
  
"Catsup?"  
  
The elves turned to face a especially small and fragile looking elf offering up a bottle of tomato paste which looked much to heavy for her. She blushed and bowed herself away.  
  
"Pay no mind to Moggy, Moggy is new, she is." Dilly whispered in a severe voice.  
  
Harry felt sorry for her. "No, no- I think I will take some catsup on my toast, thank you, Moggy."  
  
The elf returned excitedly with a peice of toasted bread, heavily laden with catsup. Harry bent down to whisper to her. "Thank you, but people don't usually have catsup with toast- keep that in mind for next time."  
  
"Yes sir, Harry Potter, sir. Moggy will remember, she will!" The elf smiled largely and bowed herself away happily.  
  
"Harry Potter is a kind sir, he is! But Harry Potter is needing food. We is hearing Harry Potter was starved! Eat, eat!" Dilly ushered Harry over to a scrubbed wooden table completely covered in fruit and bread. He greatfully took a seat and ate his catsup toast. It wasn't too bad, actually...  
  
"From where did you hear that I was starved?" Tipsy brought him a cold goblet full of pumpkin juice.  
  
Dilly pointed to a door with a gold 'two' painted on it. "Us house elves sometimes leaves it open to Minister's room." he said ernestly. "We is not bad house elves, we is helping." Dilly said this with not a trace of guilt, leading Harry to believe him in all honesty. "We needs to know things if we is to help, but we is not telling our master's secrets, we is not." The elf gave Harry a meaningful look, as if just _daring_ him to ask questions.  
  
"Is that right?" Harry ate the rest of his breakfast in silence, blessing the little elves in his heart everytime they checked to see if he had eaten enough.  
  
He said good bye to his new friends and headed for the door, thinking only of his bedroom as he pulled it open.  
  
When he returned, the first thing he noticed was the scent that he could not recognize from before and that the door to the balcony was open wide. Only after he made to close it did he realize that he was not the only one in the room.   
  


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Sorry it took me sooo long, I've been busy! (and today I had the flu...)  
  
TatraMegami: You know, actually, I have _no clue whatsoever_ how Harry'll be getting his stuff back- any ideas?  
  
Tarawen: Yep! Glad I got rid of those '*beeps*' too! I hated writting their dialogue... although I never did that much. **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	5. Lilies and Bumblebees

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **FIVE**_: Lilys and Bubmlebees  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
"Good morning, Harry. I'm pleased to see that you are up and about. Have you been fully rested?" Professor Dumbledore asked cheerfully, sitting in a chair by the fireplace.  
  
Harry felt a rush of warmth spread through him that could only be described as his intense joy of seeing a loved face once again. He nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face.  
  
Dumbledore laughed and stood up, opening his arms to welcome Harry into them. Although sixteen years old, Harry felt he desperately needed and wanted to hug the elderly wizard, and rushed into the awaiting embrace.  
  
"You've been missed, Harry. Very dearly, might I add. I expect Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger will be thouroughly pleased to see your return."  
  
"How are they? Are they well? Tell me of them!" Harry pleaded.  
  
The professor chuckled his famous chuckle and put a hand to his mouth to show that he was thinking. "Let us think for a moment... Miss Granger is a Perfect, but you assumed as much, correct?" His eyes gleamed at Harry, who nodded ferverently. "Mr. Weasley now plays on the Gryffindor House Quidditch Team as a Chaser. Yes, Harry, both are well, but I'm afraid they were not themselves when you were discovered missing. A bit of a shock, really."  
  
Harry pulled away from the Headmaster. "And what of Sirius and Remus? How are they? The Minister said I might be able to owl Sirius this morning."  
  
"Yes, they are doing fine. Your godfather's name has been cleared, on the condition that he registers as a Animagus. He's doing that this afternoon, I believe." Dumbledore added thoughtfully. "Remus, however, is still as he always was."  
  
Harry nodded with a smile and walked over to the balcony. A cool breeze had filled the room and he decided he needed some fresh air. After the wonderful news he had just recieved Harry felt as though he might faint.  
  
"This is wonderful!"  
  
"It is, isn't it? I've always like that veiw myself." said Dumbledore, thinking that Harry was speaking of the balcony as he joined him. "Very fragrant up here."  
  
Harry looked at him. "Do you know what that smell is? It's very familiar..."  
  
The Headmaster smiled weakly and spoke as if it was hard on the heart to think of. "I do. _Lilies_. You mother's favourite scent, as you might expect. I remember young Lily onced loaned me her shampoo. My beard smelt of lilies for weeks!" He chuckled and patted Harry on the shoulder.  
  
_Lilies. Lily Potter smelled of lilies._ Harry closed his eyes. He could almost see her face before his, making loving, kissy faces at him.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
He turned and looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"It is decided that you will return to Hogwarts, tonight. The Ministry has been hospitable enough to accomidate you thus long, but I should think a more homey place would be to your liking?"  
  
"Yes, sir." said Harry happily. "Only, I haven't got my robes or wand or even Hedwig!"  
  
"Need not to worry about your owl, Harry, she turned up last night at Hogwarts. And your things-" his eyes twinkled over his half moon glasses as Harry was so accoustomed to, "-your things are being taken care of. But never mind that! You will return with me tonight and stay in the Hospital Wing until I have spoken to the students at supper." He clapped Harry on the back again.  
  
"Yes, sir!" said Harry. He leaned on the balcony and peered over the garden. Everything was going to be just like it had been before. "What time was Sirius supposed to be here?"  
  
Dumbledore peered at the sun. "Soon. Are you wanting to go wait for him?"  
  
"Can we?" said Harry.  
  
"I think so, come." Dumbledore and Harry left the room and walked down the corridor casually. They reached a room labeled, 'Registration'. Inisde stood a tall, strongly built man with a roughly cropped mass of black hair. Another man was in to room with the first, taking fingerprints with smudge-proof ink.  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
The man with black hair turned sharply at Harry's voice. "Harry!" Sirius tried to make a grab for his godson, but the other man still hand his fingers pressed to a peice of parchment.  
  
"Hold still for just a moment longer, Mr. Black!" Sirius nodded, a large stupid grin spread across his face. "Done!"  
  
Sirius pulled Harry into the tightest hug he had ever felt. From the way he was shaking, Harry assumed the grown man was sobbing. "Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry...." He repeated again and again.  
  
"Sirius- I was worried about you." Harry admitted.  
  
"About me?" Sirius laughed. "I have been worrying about _you_!" Sirius gave Harry a final squeeze before allowing the boy to breathe. "Are you alright? Should I get you anything?"  
  
"I'm fine, really, Sirius." said Harry. He smiled, his godfather always worried about him. "How are you? Have you been eating right and taking care of yourself?"  
  
"Yes, I have, thank you _mother_. I always eat my vegetables." He ruffled Harry's hair. "Oooh. I think you need a hair-cut."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "What if I like it like this?"  
  
"You'll look like Severus if you don't have it trimmed soon." Dumbledore mused. Harry pictured himself with Snape's greasy hair and billowing black robes, taking points away from Gryffindor left and right. Maybe he didn't like his hair as much as he thought he had...  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Black, but we need to continue. This may take a while." The balding man interupted loudly.  
  
Sirius nodded. "Harry, I'll come see you in the morning, alright? Take care and get some rest." He gave the boy one last hug before returning the man doing his Animagi Registration.  
  
"Alright, I will Sirius. Goodbye." Harry and the Headmaster left the room and it closed magically behind them.  
  
"Perhaps I _should_ get a hair-cut..."  
  
"Are you ready, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, hours later. Harry nodded and stepped into the fireplace after him. In a whirling whoosh of ash and warm breath he arrived. It seemed that the floo powder had gone much smoother than usual, perhaps it was due to Harry's excitement and pure joy.  
  
Professor Dumbledore's office formed before his eyes and he stepped out under the mantle. To Harry, the room seemed alive with colours and vivid images that stung his senses back to reality. It was the most beautiful place Harry could remember seeing in his life that seemed so long ago.  
  
"The students have just gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. I daresay this would be the ideal time for you to make your way to the Infirmiry unnoticed by the others. It might cause unneccessary attention." said Dumbledore. He opened the door to his office and motion Harry to head down the staircase. "I'll see you halfway. My appearance is required at dinner."  
  
Harry made his way the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, ran a series of checks on his health before handing him a night shirt to sleep in.  
  
"You're terribly thin, Mr. Potter. Were your relatives starving you?" Madam Pomfrey asked suspiciously as she handed him a tray laden with food.  
  
"No- I wasn't with them..." Harry cut into his kidney steak and shoved a large peice in his mouth.  
  
Madam Pomfrey looked as thought she was expecting for Harry to tell her where he was, but she he didn't say anything, she pursed her lips and bused away into her office.  
  
When Harry had finished his meal he set the tray on his night, along with his glasses, pulled the covers up to his chin and nestled into bed.   
  


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For anyone asking, THe Bumblebee from the title is referring to Dumbledore, as Dumbledore is old English for bumblebee.  
  
Tatramegami: Yes, I liked the catsup toast, too. I wonder what it tatses like? I'll try it sometime, even though I don't like catsup. :) I like the plot hole idea- but you'll have to wait until chapter six to find out what I mean by it... Not your ordinary 'plot hole'! LOL! I feel like typing the next chapter right now! Okay, It's late, so I'll start typing now and finish later! I have no clue as to when I'll finish... **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	6. Virgin Queen

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **SIX**_: Virgin Queen  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
Harry could smell the cinnamon from frenched toast wafting in the hospital wing from the Great Hall's breakfast. Frenched toast. That meant it was Saturday. The house elves only made frenched toast on Saturday, for which Harry was greatful. This was how he would get his days straight, now that he was back at Hogwarts.  
  
Back home.  
  
Harry heard the clang of metal and some one's soft cursing across the room. Sitting up, he drew the edge of the curtain away and peered out into the infirmiry. An astonishingly pretty girl with short, bouncey light red hair could be seen crawling out from under a hospital bed with a silvery bowl in her hand.  
  
'Cleaning bed pans,' Harry chortled softly to himself. 'Must be having detention from Professor Snape.' His thoughts stopped as the girl approached his curtain, unaware he was watching her.  
  
She yanked the curtain open and disappeared under the bed. Harry leaned over the side and looked under after her. She busied herself without looking up and seeing his prying face. The red headed girl stood, but dropped her scouring brush. Cursing, she bent back down to pick it up, hand sweeping from side to side, she was unable to locate it.  
  
"Blasted thing-" She layed on her belly and scooted herself under Harry's bed. Her hand found the brush and her eyes, the faintly blue ones, met his green ones.  
  
She screamed.  
  
Harry pulled himself back into his bed and the girl poked her head over the sheets.  
  
"You're awake? I thought you were still sleeping-" she mumbled and got to her feet. She bit her lip and looked at him. "Are you... are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." Harry smiled at the girl. She looked strangely familiar, but he was sure that they had never met before... "Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
She shook her head and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. "It's nothing... Oh, Harry!" She threw her arms around him. Harry was used to complete strangers staring at him, but never hugging him. "I thought you had been murdered or kidnapped or... or _something_! Mum thought we'd never seen you again! And... and..." She pulled away from him and sat on the corner of the bed.  
  
"I'm touched, really, I am." Harry felt a strange pull towards her, and wanted to hug and comfort her, but he wasn't sure if he should. "So, tell me: what House are you in?"  
  
She stopped sobbing and stared at him. "Gryffindor... are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"I'm fine- What year?" said Harry doubtfully. Was he forgetting things?  
  
"I'm a fifth year, Harry-" She paused. "Don't you know me?"  
  
"I think I do... Refresh my memmory- What's your name?"  
  
She looked scared. "Virgina."  
  
Harry searched his mind hard. He couldn't remember anyone he had ever met by the name Virgina. "I'm sorry- I don't recall..." Harry shook his head.  
  
"Oh, that's alright- It doesn't really matter any more." She tried smiling, but it wasn't masking her disappointment. "Well, I'd better get back to my detention."  
  
"What'd you do, anyway, Elizabeth?"  
  
Virgina frowned. "Are you sure you're alright? My name's not Elizabeth, it's Virgina. I just told you that."  
  
Harry laughed. "I know! They called Queen Elizabeth; Virgina. Short for Virgin Regina, Holy and pure queen. She had red hair, too. Sort of like you!"  
  
Virgina blushed. "You think I look like a queen?"  
  
Harry shrugged. He had never actually seen a queen before. "Well, yeah."  
  
At a loss for words, Virgina smiled and went back to scrubbing her pans.  
  
Harry pulled himself out of bed and thought of changing before heading to breakfast, but his thoughts crashed to a stop. He didn't have any Hogwarts robes to wear. "Elizabeth? Would you hand me those green robes over there? Thanks!" He pulled the curtain back around his bed and changed quickly into the robes he had gotten from the Ministry. When he was almost finished he heard another voice in the room.  
  
"Is he up, little one?"  
  
"Yes Headmaster, he's up. We've spoken even!" Virgina answered.  
  
Dumbledore's voice was soon on the other side of Harry's curtain. "Are you decent, Harry?"  
  
"Just a moment, Professor." Harry buttoned his collar and pulled back the screen. "God'e'gooden, Professor Dumbledore. Was there something you needed to see me about?"  
  
Dumbledore was smiling broadly. "A matter of small importance, but yes." Harry smiled back. "My! We are in a good mood this morning, aren't we, Harry?"  
  
"How can I not be? I've just had a great night's rest at my most favourite of all places on Earth. I'm quite content."  
  
The Headmaster clapped Harry on the back and chuckled, eyes wildly agleam. "Come then- Some breakfast? I daresay Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger are eager for you to join them."  
  
"Can I? I don't have to eat alone in here?" said Harry.  
  
"I'm sure Miss Weasley here would have gladly joined you, but yes, you may eat in the Great Hall." said Dumbledore.  
  
"Wow!" Harry ran down the corridor with such enthusuiasm, he didn't complain when Professor McGonagall yelled at him for running. Harry stopped just before opening the doors, thinking. Had Dumbledore said, 'Miss Weasley'? Virgina? Virgina Weasley- _Ginny_ Weasley.  
  
Harry felt incrediably stupid. He _did_ know her. No wonder she looked familiar! Harry decided to apologize later, right now, his stomach was calling him to eat.  
  
Harry opened the door and stared at everything familiar. The floating candles, arranged tables, enchanted ceiling, black robed students- even Mrs. Norris walking along the back wall was welcoming to him. He walked up to the Gryffindor table, pleased to see that many of the students had already gone off to their first class, and took a seat across from Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Good morrow, fair maid and gentle sir-" Harry had resorted to old English as a way to suprise people, in a _nice_ way. If he didn't want to be nice about it, Harry would have probably suprised everyone by turning all of the Slytherins to fluffy bunny-rabbits.  
  
"H-Harry?" Hermione gasped.  
  
Ron just sat and stared. Harry, however pleased he was back, was desperately hungry. He filled his plate with scrambled eggs, toast, and frenched toast.  
  
"Could you pass the orange juice, Ron?" Harry took a bite of eggs with catsup on it. "Thanks!" said Harry as his best friend mindlessly handed him the cold piture.  
  
"Harry!" said Hermione again.  
  
"Yes?" He wiped his mouth on a napkin. "Have I got egg on my face?"  
  
"Harry!" She dove over the table and embraced him tightly, covering herself in egg, toast, catsup, and syrup. "Oh Harry, Harry!"  
  
Laughing, Harry hugged her back. "Hermes, Hermes, Hermes! They way you squeeze me, one might think you missed me or something!"  
  
Ron stopped gapping and joined the huddle. "I can't believe that you're back!"  
  
"Well, I can, and I'm so happy about it too!"  
  
Hermione let go and dapped at her robes front with a napkin. "So, where were you? Not on some holiday you've forgotten to tell us about, I hope?"  
  
Harry's face went still. He wasn't going to tell them. Not anyone. He didn't want people making him out to be more insane than they already thought. "No, not on a holiday..."  
  
Hermione didn't pursue the initial question.  
  
"What did the Headmaster tell you about me?"  
  
"Only that you were back, and _to not ask you were you had been_, as it would be too traumatic to speak of." Ron shot Hermione a deadly look, to which she shrank behind.  
  
Throughout breakfast, Harry kept catching glances they were giving each other. He had seen them before, but never towards each other. Something was egging him in on the insides. He had to ask.  
  
"Ron? Hermione? Is there something between you two that I should know about?"  
  
Ron's ears pinked and Hermione spit some of her pumpkin juice back into her goblet.  
  
"Us? No, never-" said Hermione.  
  
"Nope, not us. You're looney, Harry. I wouldn't be suprised if you had been locked up in some nut house somewhere!" said Ron. Little did he know, that he had struck a nerve.  
  
Harry looked down at his empty plate with a forlorn expression plastered on his face.  
  
Ron noticed. "Oh... I'm sorry mate, I didn't realize that's where..." Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.  
  
"Oh Harry! Surely not!" Harry didn't answer. "Oooh! Those awful relatives of yours!"  
  
"Thank the stars I'll never have to see them again."  
  
"How's that?" said Ron.  
  
"I haven't the slightest idea where they are! Even the Ministry can't locate them. Looks like I'll spend my summer with Sirius!" said Harry with much joy.  
  
"That's very exciting, Harry. Tell me, does that mean his name's been cleared?" said Hermione in her book-worm voice.  
  
"Yup! Since yesterday." Harry noticed Ron's watch. "Hey guys, I'll see you later. It looks as though you're going to be tardy."  
  
His best friends stood up. "Aren't you going, too?" said Ron.  
  
"Nope. I'm supposed to start next week or something like that. Bye!"  
  
His friends left the Hall, leaving him to finish his breakfast in complete happiness.   
  


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To know why Harry calls Hermione 'Hermes', you'll have to read my last story, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwarts. :)  
  
TatraMegami: Oh! you'll like my 'plot hole'. LOL!! I'm afraid to try the toast! :( I like catsup on eggs, though... 'Plot Hole' is in next chapter!!  
  
Tarawen: Evil Muggles? I suppose so! No, Harry is a very selfless person, but I can make him LESS selfless, if you so desire!  
  
slycat_blaze: The mirror is like floo powder- kinda, sorta. You touch the door knob and whichever room you are thinking of at the time will appear when you open the door. You step through and you are in the room, but you aren't really walking into a door, you're walking into a mirror. Not good for guys who like to peep and girls who like to change infront of the mirror! :P   
  
Lady of Arundel: Not everyone will find out, but some will figure it out, Like Ron and Hermione! **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	7. Plot Hole

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **SEVEN**_: Plot Hole  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
Soon after Harry had finished his breakfast he made his way back to the Infirmiry to aplogize to Ginny. When he reached his destination, he mentally kicked himself. Ginny had gone off to her first class.  
  
He flopped onto the bed and wondered what there was to do, not having a class to attend afterall. He could wander about aimlessly or visit the house elves in the kitchen... Hagrid! He could visit Hagrid!  
  
Harry got to his feet once more and began down the corridor. Once outside, he smiled. He had forgotten how nice the trees smelt around Hogwarts and how clean the air was. The snow looked especially white on the grounds and ontop of Hagrid's hut. It looked so pure... untouched... undisturbed... Harry frowned. Undisturbed? No one had walked in the snow here since it had fallen.  
  
Did that mean Hagrid hadn't come out of his house? Or that he hadn't gone it? The usual smoke filtering from the crooked chimney wasn't there, nor the low bark of Fang, the boarhound. Something wasn't right and Harry could feel it in the pit of his stomach.  
  
He ran through the snow slowly until he reached the hut's door. "Hagrid! Hagrid open up! It's me, Harry!" He pounded the door with his fist. No sound, no answer. Harry tried the door. It was locked.  
  
"You wont find him in there, Harry." Harry turned and saw Professor Dumbledore striding towards him in the snow, wearing thick robes of violet and emerald. Seeing the Headmaster in his winter clothes made Harry shiver. He only had on his one robe.  
  
Dumbledore noticed this and headed towards the Gryffindor. "Dear boy, one might have more of an inclination to bundle up in this November weather." He chuckled and took off one of his many robes and hung them about Harry's shoulders. A strange warmth spread through him, more than from the cloak alone. A warmth from something stronger.  
  
"Professor, you said I wouldn't find Hagrid in his hut, why is that?"  
  
"Because he is not in his hut, Harry." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "But I can tell you where you may find him, if you'd like?"  
  
"Yes, sir, please." Harry pulled his arms into Dumbledore's sleeves. They were far too long on him. Harry smiled to himself. What an odd thing to be doing, to be wear the Headmaster's clothing.  
  
"Naturally, he's at the Ministry. Assisting them with some difficulties." Before Harry could ask what 'difficulties' needed Hagrid's assistance, Dumbledore placed a hand on Harry's back and led him towards the castle. "Which leads me to why I myself came in looking for _you_."  
  
Harry looked up. "Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"No, no. The Minister merely wishes for you to be present for something at the Ministry. A bit of a surprise, I believe he said." Dumbledore averted his eyes to ensure Harry could not read his face.  
  
"Very well, then. Shall I leave immediately?" Harry held the large door open for the Headmaster, who nodded a thanks.  
  
"I would think that wise, while the other students are in class. I don't suppose it will take all that long." Dumbledore handed Harry a small pouch of floo powder. "The Great Hall is the closest hearth, I believe." He smiled. "I'll see you when you return. Maybe then Madam Pomfrey can give your hair a trim. I daresay if we do not have it cut soon, one might mistaken you for our Potions Master." With that he turned down the corridor in the opposite direction Harry was headed.  
  
"But sir! Your robe!" Harry fumbled to take it off but the old wizard had already departed. He put it back on and went into the Great Hall, violet and emerald trailing a long, sweeping train behind him. At the mantle, Harry tossed in a pinch of the fine granules and watched the flames dance to a new rythme. He stepped in and felt the wamr breath of the fire lapping at his entire body.  
  
"Ministry of Magic."  
  
With an all too familiar feeling of dizziness and spinning, Harry was pulled through a series of chimneys until his feet struck the ground. It felt like- no, it _was_ only yesterday that he had entered that same room. Yesterday he had been met by eager wizards to confirm him being alive and to be relieved that all hope had not been lost. It _would_ have all been lost if it had not been for Naera Vale.  
  
Harry looked around the room as if expecting Naera to suddenly jump out from the shadows. He owed her so much, but she left before he could so much as thank her for saving him. What a noble person, she was.  
  
Harry walked forward and opened the door. The hall was empty. Surely some one would have come to meet him and take him to the Minister? He bit his lip. Where was he to go to now? Without thinking, Harry began to walk aimlessly down the corridor. He passed what he thought was Percy's office, but it appeared deserted.  
  
Having no clue as to which direction he should be heading, Harry opened a random door and entered. There was no one in there, either. The room he had gone in was dark and had little furnature, like a small and dank waiting room. It looked completely unused for ages. Then something caught Harry's eye. A door with a golden 'two' painted on it. He approached and touched the doorknob, thinking furiously. If he thought hard enough about the Minister, perhaps the door could take him to Fudge. He opened the door and the room filled with light from the other side of the entrance.  
  
It was now evident why no one had greeted him, they were having a meeting of some sort. Harry felt slightly guilty, but he couldn't close the door. He knew it was wrong, and most likely illegal, to listen to the private meetings of the Ministry of Magic, but he couldn't help it. What Fudge had just said to the others pulled in Harry's attention.  
  
"...currently, and the death toll is an estimated one-hundred-fifty-three," Fudge was saying.  
  
"Estimated?" asked another wizard.  
  
Fudge didn't seem to know how to reply. "Yes... we aren't sure how many different persons we have bodies for, as many are merely fragments..."  
  
The other wizard took his seat and stared fixedly at his hands. What were they talking about?  
  
"And the boy? Harry? Should we not punish him?" asked another. Harry listened raptly. Punish? _HIM_? "He _did_, after all, use _Avada Kedavra_ on a fellow wizard..."  
  
"Geofry, Harry used the curse on _himself_. He was trying to save lives!" Arthur Weasley stood from his chair and glued his eyes to the wizard. The other closed his mouth and looked away.  
  
"Arthur's right. We cannot punish Harry Potter, although suicide _is_ a crime-" began another.  
  
"Enough already!" Fudge glared at them all in turn, which took some minutes, as there must have been two hundred witches and wizards crammed into the confrence room. "He is not to be punished, is that clear? Do you not recall the panic we all were in when he was not to be found? And the relief when he was? Come now, all of you! For the boy, we must have certain exceptions, sometimes..." The room was deathly silent.  
  
Harry bit his lip. He had wondered for the longest time whether or not they would send him to Azkaban for what he did last May... When he had offered Voldemort to take his own life to spare his friends... to spare the world.   
  
"What shall we do now?" asked a witch from the front of the room. "You-Know-Who grows ever stronger. Earlier this year, we had all of our best and strongest men out there, and _still_ we were not enough to defeat him!"  
  
"There is nothing we can do, Olive. Nothing. He grows far too strong for us now. There is no hope." Fudge turned his back on the room as they all began to murmur and shout.  
  
Harry sank to the floor. The Ministry was going to do _nothing_? Harry felt scandalized. Why did he have to hear that? _Why_? Harry felt as though he might as well curl into a ball and die right there. If nothing was to be done, what was the point in hiding from Voldemort any longer? There was none. They would all die soon enough, with Voldemort gaining power and followers each day.  
  
Harry looked through the door, glad that they could not see him, and watched their frightened faces. Some were even begining to weep. Something clicked inside Harry. If it was the last thing he would do, he would not let them cry any more. He didn't want anyone else to be hurt, not becuase they felt they could do nothing. Surely there was something some one could do... Something _Harry_ could do.  
  
Harry closed the door he had been watching through and stared intently at the wood grain in the door. He needed a plan. Harry decided right there and then that we would do something. He had defeated Voldemort before, and he could surely do it again.  
  
Harry heard voices outside the room and figured that the meeting had ended. He stood and thought of Fudge again and opened the door. The Minister was sitting at a desk in a large and brightly lit room. Breathing hard and contorting his face to appear cheerful, Harry stepped through the door and out the Mirror. Fundge looked up.  
  
"Ah! Harry! You've discovered how to work the 'Two Door'?" He smiled at Harry.  
  
"Yes, but I don't understand what the 'two' has to do with it..." Harry took a seat in a vaccant chair.  
  
"It's for the house elves. They can't read, as you might guess, but they know their numbers. They suggested the 'two' to help them remember which door went _to_ other rooms. House elves are devilishly clever." Fudge chuckled. Harry silently agreed, remembering how Dobby had tried to hint to him what waited for him in his second year at Hogwarts some years back.  
  
"Erm, sir? Professor Dumbledore said you wanted to see me?" Harry tried to look innocent, but his mind was still on the meeting he had stumbled across.  
  
"Hm? Oh, yes!" Fudge laced his fingers together and leaned across the desk on his fore arms. "One of the Ministrates here had a suspision as to the whereabouts of your possesions." Harry felt his stomach leap. "She contacted Hagrid, and together, they found some things that might interest you. Care to see for yourself?"  
  
"Yes, please!" Harry and the Minister took to the corridor and soon found themselves in a another room, smaller than Cornelius Fudge's office. The first person Harry recognized was Hagrid, looming over the few other people in the room like the Whomping Willow over the edge of Hogwarts grounds. He stood, speaking amicabley to a woman. _Naera Vale_. Harry smiled. Now he would be able to thank her properly.  
  
"A team of Muggle Relations experts put together some information, gathered by Vale, and found some things that might interest you." Fudge motioned Harry to a corner where a dirty trunk sat on a small mound of soil.  
  
"My things!" Harry rushed over and unlocked the trunk. The heads in the room turned to smile at Harry. Inside the trunk was all of this possesions, completely and one-hundred-percent as he had last left them.  
  
"Where was it?" said Harry, pulling out his wand and giving it a swift flick.  
  
"Buried in a hole on the Dursley's land plot." said a familiar voice. Harry looked up and smiled broadly.  
  
"I never did thank you properly, Naera."  
  
She shook her head. "It wont be neccessary, really. It was my job."  
  
"But I truely am thankful. I just want you to know that." They shook hands, but Harry had strange desire to give her a hug. She seemed... well, _sisterly_ enough. "Thank you."  
  
"Harry, you should really be thanking Hagrid. Without his nifflers, we'd never have found it." Naera motioned for Hagrid to appraoch. He smiled through his long black whiskers and showed Harry the six leashes in his hand, which were attatched to six hyper nifflers.  
  
"Mornin' Harry!" Hagrid nodded to the sixteen-year-old. Harry rushed into the half-giant's arms and hugged him. In a few more years, Harry bet he would be able to wrap his arms completely around Hagrid, but for now, he just couldn't do it.  
  
"Thank you, Hagrid! You haven't any idea how much I've missed you and Hogwarts! With my things back, I can start my lessons!" Harry let go.  
  
Hagrid looked suprised. "Aren't you a bit too old for hugging, Harry?"  
  
"Not at all. You're older than me and you've hugged me before," said Harry, pulling a lock of hair out of his face.  
  
Naera gasped.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Harry turned to face her.  
  
"N-no, it's just... you look like some one I went to school with. But that was a long time ago." She grinned. "Oh Harry, let me give you a trim, what do you say?"  
  
Fudge looked as though he were stiffling a laugh. "Yes, Harry. I must say, you look like Snape with your hair growing out wildly like that."  
  
Harry wrinkled his nose. "Well, _I_ thought I looked like _Sirius_, but if everyone keeps insisting that I look like Professor Snape, then I suppose _something_ must be done." With some reluctance, he nodded to Naera. "Alright, as long as you don't go too dramatic. Promise?"  
  
She smiled. "Splendid! Have you a spare room, sir?" she asked Fudge.  
  
After a few moments, Harry found himself in a well lit room with several comfortable looking chairs.  
  
"Please, sit, Harry!" Naera seemed very excited as she pulled a comb out of her robe pocket. "I always carry a comb with me." She ran her fingers through her long black hair. "Just in case, you know? Can never be too careful!" Harry sat and she approached, running the comb through his hair breifly before taking out her wand. "Now, how short are we talking here? Just a few inches off? More? Less?"  
  
"Just so no one makes the comment that I look like Snape _ever_ again," sighed Harry.  
  
She laughed pleasantly. "I see. Alright, hold still." With a whoosh of her wand, Harry felt a large lock of his hair fall onto his shoulders. "More off? Just right?" She handed him a mirror.  
  
"Hey! That doesn't look too bad!" Harry moved his head so he could get a better view of his hair in the reflection. "Yeah, that's good. I like it."  
  
"Oh good. I was afraid it would be too short, and that would take a nasty spell to lengthen it..." She took up the comb again and started with the rest of his hair. "Nice robe, by the way, Harry." She brushed some hair off his shoulders. "Lovely colours."  
  
"It's Professor Dumbledore's robe. He loaned it to me earlier," said Harry. He had honestly forgotten he was still wearing it. He'd have to thank the Headmaster when he got back to shcool.  
  
"Albus's? Goodness, no wonder it is so big!" Naera giggled softly. "Looks nice, anyway."  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Some one had poked their head in the doorway. Naera and Harry both turned to see their visitor. Sirius Black opened the door all the way and stood up straight.   
  
"Hagrid said I might find you in here..." his voice was slow and deliberate. Something funny glimmered in his eye. What was it?  
  
"Hello, Sirius. Just getting my hair cut..." Harry saw that Sirius was no longer acknowledging him, Sirius was staring at Naera. She was staring back.  
  
No one moved or breathed. It was as if the air had been sucked from the room.  
  
Sirius's vibrant chocolate eyes were locked on Naera's fluid mahogany ones.   
  


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Okay, yeah. More fishy things going on here!  
  
**Slycat: ** This is about as much as the mirror takes role in. Nothing more, really. We'll discuss Ginny in the NEXT chapter. She's not really _disappointed_, really. She's forming a plan. The job is boring... but I'll survive! Glad you care! You know what? I broke up with my boyfriend! *sniff* I thought we could still be friends... but he's being a jerk about it. So now I'm free to have Draco all to myself! :)  
  
**Arcee:** Punish the Dursleys? I'll think about it! Any ideas on how I should do that?  
  
**Tarawen:** Oh, there are lots of things odd here. *smirk* You'll just have to wait to fully recognize it! I was thinking of making Harry a little less selfless, but I don't know how that'll fit in with the rest of my story.... Oh! I got it! *tut tut tut* Selfish Harry... Share! *plan forms in Meisako's mind* Ooooh. I like!  
  
**TartaMegami: ** LOL! 'Plot hole'! Like my pun? I rather did. :) Guess what?! I must be a true fan! I ate toast... with catsup! It tasted like crunchy catsup... seeing how I _hate_ catsup, this just shows my true devotion to the great Harry Potter. I can't tell you how much courage went into actually eating it....  
  
**Stargirl2004: ** I'm glad you like it! My mind is a bit strange so that would explain why my stories are!  
  
**EVERYONE: ** Thanks for reviewing! I'm very happy you all are liking it! When I was using my sister as a beta, she was completely useless (she doesn't like Harry Potter... at all.) I had to write these all with noooo help! I'm just happy everything is working out!  
  
If you haven't got the movie, I feel sorry for you! I've had it for two days and I've seen it nine times! My family refuses to watch it with me because I quote the actors while they are speaking it! Yes, yes. I am a bit mad, but you know you love me! Come on! I am, after all, The Huggable Muggle.  
  
Oooh! Go Neville!  
  
"And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. For this I award Neville Longbottom ten points. Assuming my calculations are correct, I believe a change of decorations is in order. Gryffindor wins the House Cup."  
  
Okay, I'm done with my quoting!! **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	8. Haircuts and Old Friends

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **EIGHT**_: Haircuts and Old Friends  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
"Ah.. Sirius?" Harry said rather loudly. His godfather jumped and looked at him.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"This is Naera Vale. She saved me." Harry pointed to the young lady behind him.  
  
Sirius nodded and walked in, taking Naera's hand. "Thank you for returning my godson to me. You have no idea how badly I've missed him." He shook her hand vigourusly.  
  
"Only my job, Mr. Black. Only my job."  
  
"How did you know I was Sirius Black?" Sirius took a step back and Harry watched them. Naera went silent.  
  
"I work for the Ministry, Mr. Black. It would be a shame if I _didn't_ know who you were. We've been hunting you down for the past three years." She looked him over. "You could do with a haircut yourself, Mr. Black. I'll give you one, if you'd like." Naera went back to zapping off Harry's hair.  
  
"Call me Sirius, please, Naera." He pulled up a chair and sat.  
  
"Mr. Black will do, and you may address me by Miss Vale," she hotly.  
  
Sirius gapped at her then looked at Harry. Harry was just as perplexed as he was.  
  
"Done, Harry," she handed him the mirror again. "Now, Mr. Black. Your turn."  
  
She walked over to his chair and tried to run a comb through it, but the comb lost several of its teeth within the tangled black masses of his head. Naera shrugged and took her wand to his head. Within a few moments, Harry and Sirius had identical haircuts.  
  
"Thank you, again, Naera, for everything." Harry held out his hand and they shook politely. "Thank you."  
  
Naera smiled. "Anytime, Harry." She nodded to Sirius. "Good day, Mr. Black." With that, she left the room.  
  
"She doesn't seem too fond of you, does she, Sirius?"  
  
"What are you talking about? Naera Vale is some goddess Merlin has decided to grace me with! So temperate so mild! An angel!" Harry watched his godfather's eyes go misty.  
  
"Oh really? Only if you are Petruchio, and she be Kate," Harry had to laugh. The scene reminded him somewhat of _Taming of the Shrew_, in a strange twisted way. "Come on. I need to get my things back to Hogwarts and _you_ are going to help me." Another half hour later, Sirius and Harry were back in the Great Hall. It seemed that lunch had already begun.  
  
Harry felt like a side show attraction as he and Sirius carried the filthy trunk across the room, with matching haircuts and Harry in the Headmaster's robes. The eyes of every student followed followed him curiosly. As for the exception of Ginny, Hermione, and Ron, almost no one here had seen him since he returned.  
  
They dragged his things back to the Gryffindor Tower and Harry changed into the standard Hogwarts robes. He laid Dumbledore's robe neatly on his bed and then went down to the common room where Sirius was.  
  
"Join me for lunch?"  
  
"Sure, why not? I'm a free man and I can join my godson for lunch if I so desire!"  
  
They found a few empty seats at the Gryffindor table across form Ron and Hermione. They talked up a storm all during the meal, including several comments about Sirius and Harry's matching haircuts.  
  
"Say, Ron?" began Harry, "What's up with Ginny?"  
  
"Ah, you mean Virgina?" Ron sniggered and Hermione hid a half smile behind her goblet. "It's a bit of a long story."  
  
Harry put down his fork. "Ive got the time."  
  
"Well," he began in a gossipy sort of way, "Ginny found out that it was _you_ last year in Hermione's body.*** Bit of a shock, really. Neither of us expected it..." he raised an eyebrow at his friend, "and she was devistated. Apparently she told you something, thinking you were Hermione, and she went plain nutters. She convinced herself that you didn't come back to Hogwarts and didn't anwser any of our letters because she embarrassed you and you never wanted to see her again."  
  
Harry was dumbstruck. _Ginny was thinking that?_  
  
"So she went and got her hair cut, layered, feathered, and eventually she tried to dye it. But you can't hide Weasley hair very easily. She even asked people to stop calling her Ginny. She thought maybe if she matured, you'd come back. Silly girlish talk, I think."  
  
"Oh Ron. You'll never understand girls! Especially if they are young. Girls do some pretty silly things when they are head over heels for some one." Hermione caught Harry's eye. "What did she tell you... erm, me... last year?" Hermione asked.  
  
Harry shook his head, turning slightly red in the cheecks. "I promised her I wouldn't speak a word."  
  
Sirius looked around at them. "Oh! I remember that! I wish I had owned a camera. I would have loved to have taken a picture of you in your skirt, Harry."  
  
"Hardy har har har, Sirius. So, where is Ginny, anyway?" asked Harry.  
  
"You mean Virgina," Ron corrected him, "She already finished her lunch. I think she already headed off to her next class. Potions, wasn't it?"  
  
"I'll see you all later. I'm going to talk with Gi-Virgina." Harry pushed away from the table and made his way out the door.  
  
The corridors were highly deserted and yet Harry still passed a few friends along the way. Seamus and Dean hailed to him and Harry hurried over.  
  
"Hey, guys! Long time no see!"  
  
"Yeah, Harry. Been a while. I hear that the Gryffindor Seeker is trying to convince McGonagall to let him drop the position so you can take it up. We've only had one game so far this year," said Dean with enthusiasm.  
  
"Who was the Seeker?"  
  
Dean smiled sheepishly. "Me. That's why we lost the first game..."  
  
"Glad you're back, Harry. I had to replace the _entire_ team! You know, _you_ were in line to be Captain but seeing as I was the only Quidditch player with any experience..."  
  
"What happened to Katie, Angelina, Alicia, and the twins?"  
  
"Uh, Harry? They graduated last year, remember?"  
  
"Ah... that's right..." Harry suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Seamus! I'm supposed to say 'Hey' to you," he said.  
  
"From who?" Seamus looked at him curiously.  
  
"Your grandad. He and your grandmother lent me some floo powder to get to the Ministry," Seamus stared at Harry, "and next time you see your grandmum, tell her thanks for the treacle tarts for me. They were delicious," Harry smiled, "Oh! Sorry! If you'll excuse me, I've got to find someone before classes start."  
  
"That'll give you seven minutes, Harry! Better hurry!" Dean yelled as Harry started to run down the stairs to the dungeons. Seamus just gapped after him. When Harry found her, he was about to call out but he thought better. If Ginny didn't want to be called 'Ginny', then we would call her something else. Elizabeth!"  
  
Ginny looked around and saw Harry. She smiled cheerfully up at him. "Hi."  
  
He leaned up against the wall beside her and smiled. "How are you, Elizabeth?"  
  
Her smiled turned into an akward sort of grimace. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I really don't like that name, _Elizabeth_. It's just not me."  
  
"Neither is Virgina, it doesn't fit you very well, _Ginny_," he countered, "I like _Ginny_ better."  
  
Her face turned a deep red. She obviously hadn't heard Dumbledore call her 'Miss Weasley' earlier. "Did you know... the entire time?"  
  
"No. I came looking for you to apologize. I should have seen it at first. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you," said Harry slowly, being careful to make sure she thought he didn't couldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes. She was extremely embarrassed.  
  
"I just thought... that maybe... if..."  
  
"Ron told me, Ginny. I didn't leave because of you. I left because I had to. Forgive me?"  
  
She nodded, "But about what I said last year..."  
  
"I never told a soul." Harry placed a hand over his heart.  
  
"But still. Harry, I- I- I've got to go to class." Ginny turned suddenly and ran down the hall and through a doorway.  
  
Harry felt awful. If only there was someway he could tell Ginny gently that he didn't have the same feelings for her. If there was someway he could let her down, without breaking her heart anymore than it had been. Harry mentally kicked himself. _I'm such a jerk._   
  


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***In my other story, _Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwarts_, Harry's soul gets put in Hermione's body while Hermione's soul floats around aimlessly for a whole month... Very fun to write and even more fun to read!  
  
I'm sooo sorry it took me so long! I was just busy with work and junk... SORRY!  
  
**TatraMegami:** I thought you'd like the plot hole! Yeah! I'm Harry pooter's Number One FAN!! *cheer*  
  
**Slycat:** There, you found out about Ginny... poor girl. :( Eh... about my boyfriend... I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!!!! :) Yeah... I'm just going to go kidnap Draco. I had a dream I got Tom Felton's number, last night! WOW! Good luck with school and soccer! Best wishes!  
  
**iluvsqual:** Thanks for reading Fallen Angel. :) Now you'll understand some of the things that Ron and Harry discussed! This is groovy! Oh, there's more to Sirius and Naera than I'm letting on.... Mwuaa huaaa haaahaha! *ahem* Okay!  
  
**Switzerland:** I know, I know! I'm sorry reviewers! Here's the update! **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	9. The Idea

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
_Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated._

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_chapter **NINE**_: The Idea  


*******  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress). **  
****  


  
After Sirius had left, he said he had to meet up with Remus somewhere, Harry decided to return Dumbledore's robe to him. But he could find the Headmaster nowhere in the school, and thought he might be in his office. As he rounded the corner, Harry saw a grim looking Professor Snape exit from behind the stone gargoyle that Dumbledore used to hide is office door. Black, menacing robes swirled about him like the great bat he was, as the Potions Master proceded down the dim corridor. Harry darted inside the doorway as it began to close, knowing he would have a pickle of a time trying to think of the correct password, and hurried up the stone stairway.  
  
The Headmaster's office looked as Harry remembered it, but it seemed as though it had been many years since being there. He smiled at Fawkes, a beautiful phoenix who gave a shrill chirp in acknowlegdement, and walked up to the mahogony desk. He folded the large robe and placed it neatly on the desk top. Harry was just about to leave when he heard a voice to his right.  
  
"You may keep the robe, if you wish, Harry."  
  
He turned and looked directly into the gleaming eyes of the Headmaster. "Really?"  
  
Professor Dumbledore nodded and smiled. "Indeed, Harry, but I'm afraid you wont be able to wear it to your classes tomorrow. I think the colors would be distracting," Dumbledore smirked.  
  
"Thank you, sir." Harry picked it back up and his eyes wandered to the portraits of past headmasters upon Dumbledore's maroon walls. Headmaster Dippet sat in his frame, looking slightly bored. Harry had seen Dippet before... that was when he had met Tom Riddle... Voldemort... Harry's heart pounded and his stomach wrenched when he remembered what he had heard just earlier that day. The Ministry of Magic wasn't going to try and stop him. No one was going to do anything.  
  
"Is there something you'd like to discuss, Harry? Your heart seems laden," said Dumbledore soothingly.  
  
"I... erm..." Harry wondered if he should tell him that he had eavesdropped, "I accidently overheard the Ministry having a meeting when I was waiting for Minister Fudge..." Harry bit his lip and sighed, "they said they weren't going to do anything about Voldemort because he was too powerful and they would rather try and live for however long they've got left instead of dying trying to stop him," he blurted in one breath.  
  
Dumbledore looked, if possible, very taken back. "Indeed?" He sat in his chair and appeared to be studying his hands. "Then there is nothing we can do, Harry. The Ministry sets the laws and rules for our kind, we must obey them," his grave voice made Harry's heart sink even more, "There is nothing we can do, if the Ministry wishes for us to do nothing. We must assume it is for the best."  
  
Fawkes left his perch to sit on Dumbledore's shoulder. "But perhaps..." Harry looked intently at the Headmaster, "perhaps I might be able to persuade them otherwise. With Lucius off with Voldemort, I dare say I'll have a nice chance."  
  
So Mr. Malfoy _hadn't_ been caught by the Ministry... Harry felt his breath catch in his chest. What about Draco? Harry didn't remember seeing Draco since before the end of the previous year. Harry had a sudden urge to go find him.  
  
"Would you excuse me, Professor?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
"And thank you again, for the robe." Harry bolted out the door and down the stairs. He still had a few minutes before classes let out, Harry only hoped he could find Malfoy in a school of this size in the little time he had before classes began again.  
  
Harry had nearly reached the dungeons when the familiar gonging echoed sweetly in his ears. Harry missed the bell, odd as it seemed.  
  
"Well _I_ intend to pass that test, boys, I have a reputation to reistablish. Go pillage the kitchens on your own time, don't waste mine."  
  
"But Draco-"  
  
"I mean it Goyle. you can do it if you want, but I've got to study."  
  
Harry turned the corner and walked directly into his query. "Malfoy!"  
  
"Potter!" Malfoy's suprised expression disappeared as quickly as it had come. "Did you want something, Potter?"  
  
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but realized he didn't know what he had wanted to say in the first place. He simply stood there, mouth gaping. Goyle and Crabbe stood like the mindless cronies they were behind Malfoy, looking as if they were wondering whether to pummel Harry to the ground or ignore him.  
  
"Close your mouth, you great git, it's unbecoming," snided Malfoy, drawling in his usual manner.  
  
Harry meant to say something about Lucius, but he figured in the corridor, infront of Crabbe and Goyle, wasn't the place. Instead, Harry closed his mouth, nodded his head, and brushed past them.  
  
He could feel the Slytherin's eyes on him, burning into the back of his head. Boy, he certainly felt like an idiot. He was so detirmined to find Malfoy, and now- now didn't have anything to say.  
  
"What a dork, come along guys," snapped Malfoy, leading his small gang away.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Harry turned and saw Hermione exiting her Arithmancy class.  
  
"What's up? you look sort of, I dunno, depressed?"  
  
"Well, I was just... at the Ministry and... Fudge isn't going to do anything."  
  
Hermione looked perplexed. "Not going to do anything about what, exactly?"  
  
"Voldemort." Hermione didn't even flinch, she just looked placid.  
  
"We just have to- to take whatever he throws at us, then?"  
  
"That's the plan."  
  
"Harry," Hermione got her face right close to his, "I've got a better plan. Meet me in the library at seven this evening, alright?" she studied him momentarily, "Right now, I've got to hurry to Hagrid's class, see you later!" Hermione tucked her books back under her arm and walked away.  
  
What could Hermione do that the Ministry of Magic couldn't?  
  
And he asked her just that, sitting with her and Ron at a table in the library that night.  
  
"It's not what I can do, it's what _we_ can do, Harry. If the Ministry wont do anything, maybe we could rally people together to do something!"  
  
"Mioninny," said Ron affectionately, "If we can't get the Ministry, the strongest and most powerful wizards to fight You-Know-Who, who else can we get?"  
  
Hermione bit her lip and became suddenly quiet.  
  
Harry looked around the room, begging for something to jump out at him, to give him an answer, but the only thing to catch his eye was that Draco was sitting by himself, engulfed in a large text book. "Hey, guys? Have you noticed anything, well, odd about Malfoy, lately?"  
  
Ron nodded a slow yes. "Been different ever since last year, that bloke has. His dad disgraced the Malfoy name, so Malfoy there is trying to raise it up on it's pretty little pedistol again."  
  
"But I thought the Malfoys were proud to be Voldemort supporters?"  
  
"They were, Harry, but look at it logically; Lucius makes it known that he supports the Dark Lord and goes off and leaves his family. They plan to preform the Kiss as soon as Lucius is found, not a very honorable thing, especially if your son and wife have to live by what you created. People'll judge Draco because of what his father did. Draco's only creating a new reputation for him to live in. Like I said, logical." Hermione put down her quill and stared at the two for a moment.  
  
"I know who we can get, or at least, what we can do to get the more powerful wizards to help us," said Harry finally.  
  
"Tell us," said Ron.  
  
"Those affected most by Voldemort- Those who's lives he has directly ruined... The children."  
  
Hermione frowned. "Harry, that's absurd. What would make such an idea come to your mind?"  
  
"Look, Hermione, look at it this way; According to Fudge, we're all going to die, one way or another. If we can weaken Voldemort's forces even a little, the older wizards will be inspired to join in. I don't know about you, but I'd rather die trying, than die waiting it out, know I'm going to suffer," he said, "Does that make sense?"  
  
"Yes but-"  
  
"Harry, there's no way all the kids here at Hogwarts can pull that off, no way in a million years!" Ron interrupted.  
  
"I'm not talking about just Hogwarts, Ron. There are loads of other kids from other schools who have suffered just as much as we have, and would most likely be willing to give all they've got for this, if we can pull it off... Give me a moment" Harry got up from his seat and began to search the shelves. He returned a quarter of an hour later with a large book in his hand. "The contact address of every known wizarding school- Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, Novinger School, Koalingo, Tocador Nuggets Institute, Neko Mizuki High, Sabre's Academy..." Harry began to skim the pages, "Do you know how many school there are out there? How many students there are? How many would be willing to fight?" He set heavy eyes on his best friends, "We can do it."  
  
Hermione nodded, fear tickling her eyes. "Alright, Harry, I have faith in you."  
  
"Me, too, Harry. Me too." 

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Lord knows this was short, but I HAD to get this out at sometime! Am I right? With school coming up soon, I should have LESS time at work, therefore having more time to type... If my logic is working correctly. Plus, I usually get my best imspiration when I'm supposed to be taking notes at school! So, here's my short chappy, enjoy, if you can... You porbably wont be able to... It IS really REALLY short.... I promise I'll work on it! Sorry for the awfully long delay! **  
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. **


	10. The Unexpected Ally

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades****  
Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated.   


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chapter ****_Ten_**: An Unexpected Ally 

  
  
*****  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress).   
****

  
  
"Faith has nothing to do with it. You're a fool, Potter," said Malfoy stifly, "if you think that will weaken Voldemort. He's stronger than anyone imagined, believe me, I know."  
  
The three friends looked up, suprised that they hadn't noticed Malfoy sauntering up to them. Hermione quickly snatched up her parchment, on which she had been scribbling down ideas.  
  
"Don't bother trying to hide it, Granger. I heard nearly every thing."  
  
Ron snorted, "Nearly?"  
  
"Yes," said Malfoy in a collected tone, "I've pretended I didn't hear you talking about me."  
  
Ron looked extremely guilty and slide down in his chair to hide his discomfort.  
  
"Look, Malfoy-"  
  
"Save it, Potter. I heard you, you were talking loud enough to raise the dead," Malfoy took a seat at their table, "Go ahead and have your little 'crusade', I could care less if half the school died. I'm not stopping you at all."  
  
Harry frowned, crossing his arms infront of his chest. "Have you got a better idea, then?"  
  
Malfoy's mouth slide open in suprise. Apparently, he wasn't asked of his opinion much. "Well, I..." his lips pinched downward forcefully, "I haven't a clue, actually. If the Ministry can't do anything, then no one can."  
  
"It's been done before, Malfoy," said Hermione, making an obvious glance in Harry's direction. Ron nodded vigorously.  
  
"_That_ was a fluke my friends, a fluke. Had that girl not inter-" Malfoy clamped his mouth shut and became suddenly interested in the graffitti left by past students on the table top.  
  
Harry's face was hot, and most likely a glowing red, but he didn't say anything. Draco caught his eye.  
  
"Sorry, Potter. My parents are a sensitive subject, too."  
  
"It was not a _fluke_, Malfoy. It was predestination. And if Harry says it could work, then why not try it, at least?" said Hermione.  
  
Ron nodded, "It's the only chance we've got to save ourselves and friends, and families, and even people we don't neccessarily get along with, but have to live with anyway." He glared poineintly at the Slytherin.  
  
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "There will be many deaths _either_ way."  
  
No one spoke for sometime. The air was uneasy and too thick for anyone to open their mouths.  
  
"So..." Everyone looked at Harry. "What do you say, Malfoy?"  
  
Ron looked as though he swallowed his tongue, which he may have very well done.  
  
Malfoy said, "What do I say to what?"  
  
"Are you with us or not?" Harry tried very hard to ignore Ron's stammering. "It will give you a chance to restore the family name- Make a Malfoy a good thing to be."  
  
"Now look here, Harry! Malfoy, _helping_ us to beat You-Know-Who? That's ludicrous! A Malfoy isn't someone who goes about willy-nilly and saving the day. They'd more than likely kill you than help you!" Hermione clamped her hand tightly over Ron's mouth and sent him a dangerous look.  
  
"And you would know, of course, Weasley, being a Malfoy for so lng now." Malfoy narrowed his eyes and Ron glared back over the top of Hermione's fingers.  
  
"See what I mean? Are you in, or not?"  
  
Malfoy looked at Harry, trying to size him up. "I'm in. Not that it will do any good or anything."  
  
"Great, Draco. We need all the help we can get," Hermione let go of Ron and shuffled through her notes from earlier. "We have lots of schools to contact-" She scanned down her list, "Forty-eight wizarding schools across the globe, twelve schools for each of us to contact. Any preferences as to which school you want, Draco?" Hermione looked up at him, sliding her list across the table.  
  
Malfoy reluctantly took the paper and looked over it. "I can tell you already that six of these will want no part in this effort." He continued to look down the list, before taking a quill printing a small 'D' beside twelve of them. "Alright, so I just contact them and tell them our plan, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Tell them we are starting a crusade, and would like their help," said Harry.  
  
"Wont they want more information? Do we have a date set? Weapons other than wands? Stratigical devices and plans? Anything?"  
  
Hermione nodded slowly. "He's right, we need to work this out a bit further, get our own students willing before enlisting the help of other. This may take longer than we thought, Harry."  
  
"I know..." Harry sighed and looked around the room at the students doing their homework and wondered if anything could pursuade them to blindly follow him to their deaths, if neccessary.  
  
The next morning was as grey as usual, bleak with no sunshine. Winter was finally getting on Harry's nerves. He hated the cold. Although the snow was pretty enough, it just didn't seem like the type of weather people woould be willing to march through.  
  
March to where? Harry only then realized he had no idea what so ever where Voldemort was hiding. He had heard some Aurors at the Ministry say something about Salazar's Realm... but where on Earth was that?  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Ron's voice jolted him from his thoughts.  
  
"What?" Harry finished tying his shoe and stood up.  
  
"Get your books, we're going to be late for Divination! C'mon, now!" Ron tugged and Harry's arm until he final snatched up his bag and followed him hurriedly out the door. He had slept in that morning, completely missing breakfast all together. Ron had come back to find out where he had gone off to to find him wander dream land. Now they were both going to be late because the classroom was insanely far away from their dorms.  
  
By the time they reached the stiffling tower, panting and sticky with sweat, Harry had already gone through every reason he could think of on _why_ he continued to take Divination. None of them were reasonable or made any sense. Harry wondered if it was too late to transfer?  
  
"I saw that you two would be late this morning, my dears," echoed the usualy misty voice of Professor Trelawney.  
  
Ron bit back a laugh and whispered discretely to Harry, "Of course she knew we'd be late- we were in class when it started..." They took a seat in the back of the classroom, followed by the death glares of Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. When they were settled in, Trelawney lifted her chin and scowled at the two of them.  
  
"Go on Professor, continue with the lesson," begged Lavender.  
  
"Yes, continue!" agreed Parvati, "I was quite interested before we were so rudely interrupted." She turned to glare at Harry again.  
  
"Fine, my dears, _as I was saying_, through the divine art of Divination, we can locate objects lost. A complicated system called gyromancy-"  
  
To his suprise, Harry raised his hand, interrupting Professor Trelawney's explanation of what gyromancy was, exactly.  
  
The bug-eyed teacher looked at him with distaste written on her face. "Yes, Mr. Potter, you may use the restroom, but make it quick."  
  
"Erm, no, Professor, I had a question about gyromancy." Lavender and Parvati turned in their seats and stared at him skeptically, Trelawney appeared to be doing the same. Even Ron was slightly suprised.  
  
"Really? Well then, let's hear it."  
  
"Um, you said gyromancy could be used to locate lost _thing_, right?"  
  
She looked slightly bored, "Yes, Mr. Potter, that is what I said. Is that all?"  
  
"Well, no, but- could gyromancy also be used to find lost _people?_" Harry figeted in his seat as Trelawney smiled broadly.  
  
"Excellent question, my dear! Yes, gyromancy can be used to locate people, objects, animals, magical auras, and the like, also. You see, my dears, gyromancy can be used to decide direction or spell things out for you-"  
  
Harry raised his hand again, "How?"  
  
"I was just getting to that."  
  
Harry, for the first time in his life, took out parchment and a quill and took notes in Divination class. Ron gawked.  
  
At lunch, Harry was full of motivation. "I've got it Hermione, I know how we will find Voldemort."  
  
Ron frowned. "You aren't planning to use that bolonga that old bat taught us?"  
  
"What bolonga?"  
  
"Well, in Divination class-"  
  
"Oh, _that_ sort of bolonga," Hermione didn't look pleased, "Harry, honestly, I thought you'd gotten over things like that. You know it doesn't work. Divination is a whole lot of guess work."  
  
"It worked last year, Hermione, don't you remember? That big saiance that revived half the school?* If Trelawney can do that, then this might just work-" Harry began.  
  
"But Harry, I don't think it sound at all logical!" argued Ron.  
  
"Tell me, how does it work?"  
  
"Well, you set out a peice of paper, each with a letter from the alphabet, on the floor. You walk around in circles until you get dizzy and fall onto one of the letters, and eventually, it will spell something."  
  
Hermione let her mouth slack and she raised both eyebrows. "Pardon? You walk around in circles until you get dizzy?"  
  
"Yeah..." said Ron.  
  
"But hold up a minute! If you're going for direction, you skip the whole loot of letters, walk in a circle until you fall down. Which every way you land is pointing in the direction you have to go!" Harry reached in his bag to pull out his notes to show Hermione.  
  
She heaved a huge sigh and glanced them over. "I agree with Ron, perfectly illogical, it all. Besides, don't you have to have some sort of divine gift? The Eye or something for this?"  
  
"The Eye is for saiances, Hermione," Harry corrected.  
  
"And when did you become an expert?"  
  
"I never said I was, Hermione-"  
  
"Hold it!" Ron put his hands up between them, "Mioninny, Harry- mate, you gotta cool your jets. Fighting will get us now where."  
  
Harry sighed and sat back in his seat. "As I was about to say, I'm not going to be doing the Gyromancing, I'll enlist Lavender and Parvati to deal with that."  
  
"How do you know they'll coopperate?" said Hermione, doubt dripping from her voice.  
  
"They'll do it, I know they will. Lavender lost a brother and Parvati lost her cousin to the Death Eaters last year. I talked to them after Divination-"  
  
"Oh, is that what you were doing, then?"  
  
"Yeah, Ron, that's what I was doing- Any way, I talked with them, and they were very willing to join with us. They said they wanted revenge, just like the rest of us."  
  
Hermione nodded slowly and turned her attention back to her steamed carrots, which had gone cold during their 'discussion'. "Alright. We'll use Divination, but only because I don't know how else to locate You-Know-"  
  
"Voldemort. His name is Voldemort." Harry met their suprised gazes. "You've both met him face to face, hell Ron! You punched Voldemort _in_ the face! You received Order of Merlin, Third Class, wasn't it?*"  
  
Ron smiled sheepishly, "And we are going to try and confront him... Okay Harry, Voldemort it is. Wow, what is that the second time I've ever said Voldemort? Hey, it's three times!"  
  
Hermione shook her head and sighed at Ron's absurdness. When she looked up, she smiled. "Hey, Harry, isn't that Cho over there?" 

  
  
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*Refer to Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel of Hogwarts, another of my stories  
  
Again, sorry for taking so long with this. I've been working on it during my breaks at work, which is only fifteen minutes long... :( Anyway, so things have been moving slowly, and I'm kinda stuck here in the middle... Oh! Just got an idea! Yippeeee!!  
  
_And now, my thanks:_  
  
**Artemis fire mage of Golin:** I'm glad you read my other story! *is happy* I think I'll go back and tweak a few things, to make it easier to read. Hope you're liking this one too!  
  
**Kaylin:** Ah! Sirius is seeing something in her he hasn't seen for a while- but we'll get into that LATER. :)  
  
**Slycat Blaze:** I'm glad you like the plot, hope school is well, and I'll try to email you ASAP! Work is hard, I'm going for an interview for a restraunt on Thursday- Wish me luck!   
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. 


	11. The NeverEnding Cycle of Confusion

**Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades**  
Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot and character Naera Vale is property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated.   


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chapter **_ELEVEN_**: The Never-Ending Cycle of Confusion 

  
  
*****  
Welcome to my version of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. This is the story of Harry, Ron, Hermione, just about everyone else, and a new character, Naera Vale. Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwart (complete), and Lily and James (from seventh year to that fateful night), Until Death Do Us Part (work in progress).   
****

  
  
Harry gulped and looked in the direction Hermione was staring towards. There she was. More beauitiful than he had ever imagined her. _Cho Chang._ Harry was staring, not actually realizing it. He was admiring her fair, olive complextion, her straight, sliky black hair, and her eyes. _Those eyes!_ Cho's eyes were like burning embers of coal.  
  
"Hey, Cho!"  
  
Harry turned sharply and glared at Ron. "_What_ did you do that for?" he snarled through clentched teeth.  
  
Ron merely smiled and winked back at him. "Do what? I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."  
  
"Harry? _Harry!_" Cho had seen him and was rushing towards Harry with wide arms. "Oh! I had heard you were back, but I hadn't seen you and I wasn't sure if Dumbledore was just trying to pull my chain and... and...! Oh Harry! I missed you!" Cho flung her arms around his neck and broke into heavy sobs.  
  
"Cho... Oh, Cho, no, don't cry," said Harry, trying to be soothing, "I'm alright, really." Cho looked up at him with puffy eyes.  
  
"I know... I just wanted to see for myself..." She quickly let go and wiped her eys with the hem of her sleeve, "I guess I'll see you around," she sniffed and hurried over to the Ravenclaw table to eat.  
  
Harry looked at Ron with an angry face, "Did you see what just happened?"  
  
Ron blushed, "well, I didn't think she would react _that_ much!"  
  
Hermione sighed and packed up her books. "I'll leave you too to fight about girls. I'm going to do some-"  
  
"Research in the library?" suggested Ron. She gave him an annoyed look, but nodded before turning on her heels and stomping off.  
  
"Hermione!" Ron called after her. She didn't respond and he sighed.  
  
"Trouble in paradise, Ron?"  
  
"No trouble here... Not neccessarily paradise, either," Ron answered, taking a swig of pumpkin juice.  
  
"But there _is_ something going on between you two, isn't there?" Harry pushed his plate away when his friend didn't answer immediately, "Okay, fill me in."  
  
Ron shook his head, "There's nothing, Harry. Absolutely nothing." Then, he too, got up and left.  
  
Harry sighed and leaned back slightly. After a moment, he became aware that Ginny was staring at him. He waved at her, and she blushed.  
  
"Say, Ginny?"  
  
"Ye-yeah?"  
  
"What do you think of Voldemort?"  
  
She stared at him with wide eyes. "Well, I- I think he's awfully horrid... and-"  
  
"How would you like to beat the living crap outta him?"  
  
"Pardon?" Ginny was making small gasping noises in the beck of her throat as he slid down the bench towards her. "Harry, what you on about?"  
  
"I'm going to kick his arse. Wanna come?" Harry smiled as she struggled to find words. "Invite your friends!" Then he laughed. Ginny forced an akward titter and gazed at him suspiciously. "No, really. I'm going to start enlitments, Gin. Would you be willing?"  
  
Ginny frowned, "I'm afraid I don't understand..."  
  
"A war, Ginny, a war! There will be a war and I want to know if you would be willing to risk your life for our world, _our people_."  
  
SHe shook her head in confusion, "But wont the Ministry take care of the enlistment? And I'm not even old enough, not that Mum would let me, anyway-"  
  
Harry sighed, took her roughly by the shoulders and locked her gaze with his. "Virginia Caprice Weasley, listen to me. The Ministry is doing absolutely nothing about Voldemort. Nothing, d'you hear me? _I_ am going to do something. _Will you help me?_"  
  
Ginny nodded, "I will... but only if you tell me who told you my middle name so I can murder them with a dull spoon."  
  
Harry smiled, "Your mum." They sat for a moment in silence. "So you're in... that makes the list a total of seven... Spread the word, wont you?" He stood, gathered his books, and hurried to class.  
  
Harry had it all figured out. He would command the crusade, Hermione would lead in the intelligence department, for the obvious reasons, and Ron would be Strategic Director; a prime choice for as far as Harry had known him, was the best chess player in Hogwarts. Lavender and Parvati could serve as guides. Now Malfoy. Malfoy could only be fit for Weapons Expert, but Harry wasn't sure if he could let himself trust Malfoy enough. Unfortunately for Harry, he picked the worst time to consult Hermione over the matter.  
  
"Pssst! Hermione!" Harry whispered feircly. Hermione looked up from her bubbling couldron, saw the note in Harry's hand and took it from him, carefully unfolding it beneath the work bench and reading it. A wave of coldness swept over Harry and a metallic voice spoke, meaing only one thing...  
  
"Passong notes in my class? I think not. Give it here, Miss Granger."  
  
Harry turned, watching Hermione's eye wide with fear, trying desperately to hide the note under the table.  
  
"Erm, Potion notes, Professor," said Ron hopefully.  
  
"Do not lie to me, Weasley. Five points from Gryffindor. Now hand it over, Granger!" Professor Snape uncurled long fingers into an open palm. Hermione dropped the note into his hand and clentched her eyes shut tight. Harry felt ill. If Snape read that note, they would get in trouble. The Professors would most likely try and stop the Crusade. Harry would have given anything at that moment for Snape to simply throw the letter away.  
  
Snape's pale fingers slowly unfolded the note, a sly smirk spreading across his face as he prepared to read the note.  
  
"You can't!" Harry jumped to his feet, snatching the parchment from Snape's hand. Stund by his own daring Harry stuttered, "It's private."  
  
Someone, not doubt Malfoy, laughed aloud. Snape narrowed his eyes, a cold chill clentching Harry's spine.  
  
"Hand it over, Potter. I have no time for your foolishness," slurred Snape. Harry bravely shook his head. "Now!" Snape reached his hand out for the parchment, but Harry shoved it completely in his mouth. "Idiot! Spit it out this instant!" Slowly, Harry chewed it up, tasting bitter and awful in his mouth. Snape stood tall, crossing his arms across his chest, cold eyes peircing. "Alright, you have it Potter. Now swallow it." Harry swallowed the note, gagging on the paper. "Now go stand in that corner. Twenty points from each you and Granger. Detention for both of you. _Never_ disrupt my class again with your silly little love letters."  
  
A few students laughed and Potions class continued.  
  
After Harry and Hermione had silently scrubbed cauldron bottoms for three hours, they returned to the common room, fingers aching. The Fat Lady frowned when Harry gave the password. "Are you sure you want to go in there?"  
  
"Of course. I'm tired and I want to sleep."  
  
The Fat Lady muttered something about not sleeping and let the portrait swing open. Harry and Hermione crawled through the hole, listening to the familiar chatter of a restless common room grow louder and louder until they came out the other end.  
  
"Harry! Get them off me!" called Ron, who was standing ontop of a table with Ginny behind him. Every student, previously swarming around the two Weasleys, rounded on Harry, hunger in their eyes.  
  
"Whoa!" Harry cried when they all began speaking at once, "What do you all want?"  
  
"Ginny told us that you were going to fight You-Know-Who!" yelled third year boy.  
  
Hermione squeezed his arm. He wasn't sure if it was a scared squeeze or an encouraging squeeze, but he nodded. "Yeah, I am." He looked around at the excited eyes of many students, and added, "Why?"  
  
"I want to help," said a seventh year girl, standing with her shoulders thrust back, "My father was killed last year because of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Something has to be done for vengence!" She pointed to Ron, who jumped when she spoke. "Ron said that the Ministry isn't doing anything! I need revenge!" Another girl put her arms around the first and coaxed her into a chair where she cried.  
  
"We all need revenge," said Harry slowly, "That is why I am asking you to join in my crusade. The Crusade of the Children. If we can even inspire a little hope in the adults, we might be able to pull this off!" Some students nodded and others whispered excitedly to one another. "Will you join me?" Harry sighed when a chorus of cheers filled the common room. "One fourth of Hogwarts down, the rest of the world to go." 

  
  
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Soooo sorry about my lateness. I had to quit my job to restart this story, so you better love me!  
  
THank you top anyone who reads this fics!! Love ya!   
  
I have a new E-Mail: Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com Please email me! :) I'd like that. 


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